Arnel's Dilemma
Einy would have to learn spirit magic at Drike whether she wanted to or not if she was going to enter the academy on my back. My influence only really worked inside the Drike Academy, after all. As the daughter of a baron, my power was too insignificant to even be called power anywhere else.
“Drike is a prestigious school, isn’t it? I wasn’t hoping for something like that. Something more ordinary…”
“It’ll be much easier for me to support Einy if it’s my alma mater. Besides, the Spirit Department has no students left. They were even considering closing it after I graduate… If a new student enrolls, they’ll probably keep it open. That would be good for me too.”
I didn’t want the place where I’d spent my childhood to disappear. It wouldn’t be a loss for the academy to gain a talented student either.
Luckily, it seemed like a good deal for both sides.
“There won’t be any tuition fees either. It’s funded by the royal family, so the facilities are decent, the food is good, and most importantly, it’s very peaceful.”
“That’s…”
“Is Drike not to your liking? Is Dmitry too far?”
“No, it’s not that… It’s just that it all sounds too good to be true. I thought you’d react negatively, so I never expected you to help so readily… Thank you. Jeanie, you’re my savior.”
“No need to thank me yet. Einy might not even want to learn spirit magic.”
Though her sister looked overjoyed, I had to pour cold water on the idea. The most important person in this negotiation was Einy, and nothing could happen if she didn’t want it.
“Einy might not adapt to the academy, or she could get expelled if she fails to show her talent. You need to ask if that’s still okay. What matters more than my opinion is Einy’s. Sister, we shouldn’t decide for her. Einy should decide for herself.”
After all, this wasn’t just anything—it was something she’d have to study for the rest of her life.
***
It was already late at night by the time we returned to her sister’s house in the village. Einy was fast asleep, and it was the first time I’d seen the child so still. She was always either hiding somewhere or bolting away at top speed.
Arnel silently gazed at the sleeping Einy and stroked her hair for a long time, wearing the face of a mother I didn’t know. I watched the scene for a while before falling asleep using Rai’s tail as a pillow.
And for the first time, I dreamed of this world’s family. A hazy golden-haired father and mother, and three flickering older brothers.
“Jeanie, Jeanie. Look here. You only turn around when I call you like this. I guess you like this name.”
My mother’s touch as she stroked me was as soft as flower petals.
“I suppose so. We’ll call you Jeanie. Jeanie Crowell.”
My father called me in a low, familiar, and pleasant voice, as if he’d been calling me that since I was in the womb.
“Father! That name is too common!”
“That’s right. It’s not noble at all. She’s so small and cute, so she deserves a much cooler name.”
“Um, me too… I want to hold her too. Mother, let me hold her.”
My parents were surprisingly young, and my brothers chattered like angels, making me feel like I was in a fairy tale. Though not very wealthy, it was a harmonious and loving family.
It was so different from my original family that it always made me hesitate… but I didn’t dislike it. It was just hard to accept right away.
Above all, we had parted before I could get used to them, so our relationship had stopped there. The time we spent awkwardly facing each other had been too long. To me, they were people I didn’t know how to address.
Perhaps they felt even more daunting and burdensome than the emperor or the king.
But even so, the only people who would have cried and worried about me, thinking I was dead, were them.
Ah, there’s also Bright, Mia, and Iruse. Teacher Iel too. Hansen and Philo as well.
As the people who would worry about me came to mind one by one, I felt that my life wasn’t so bad after all.
As soon as I reached the city, I should send them a telegram saying I was safe. They would surely be glad.
***
“I don’t want to! I’m not going alone!”
“Einy!”
It was noisy from the morning. Awakened by the sound of my sister and Einy arguing, I rubbed my eyes and let out a long yawn.
“Mom is stupid!”
Einy glared at me with a face full of anger. It seemed like she was blaming me, but her gaze was so ridiculous that I just yawned again and stretched.
Soon they started arguing in the tribal language, so I couldn’t understand the rest, but before long Einy ran out of the house, and Arnel let out a deep sigh. It was clear things weren’t going well.
“Haa…”
“Sister, are you okay?”
“I don’t know. She was so excited and happy when I mentioned the academy, but the moment I said I couldn’t go with her, she threw this tantrum. She must know it’s for her own good…”
Scratching the back of her head, which was now shaped like a bird’s nest, I thought, Raising a child is really hard. Since I was always the one causing trouble, I understood better why Einy was refusing.
“There’s no helping it. She’s at the age where she doesn’t want to be separated from her mom. And it’s all too sudden.”
“Jeanie, you said you’re leaving tomorrow, right?”
“That was the plan.”
“Can you wait a little longer? I think I need to convince Einy.”
“Well… sure. A day or two is fine.”
Since I’d received help, I couldn’t refuse to delay my departure for a few days. Though I also had family and friends, so anything longer would be pushing it.
The city was too far to wait endlessly. Even while I was here, someone might be grieving my death.
“Or how about you come with us, Sister? If the problem is Einy going alone, then that would solve it. Once she enters the academy, you won’t be able to see her for a long time anyway…”
“I’d like to, but right now I can’t leave the village. I’m taking the test to become the next chief. There are still two years left, and after that… it’ll be even harder to go outside.”
Right. Arnel was the next tribal chief.
Her position in the village was clearly different from others. Even I, an outsider, could tell that all the tribespeople trusted and followed her.
Her shoulders must have been heavy in more ways than one.
“To go to Dmitry and back, I’d have to leave the village for at least three or four months… It’s impossible.”
“You could use the warp facility. If money’s the issue, I’ll pay.”
“That’s not the problem. Einy needs to learn how to be alone. Leaving the jungle means that.”
“Hmm, now that you mention it, you’re right.”
“That child relies on me too much. I can’t stay with her forever… I think it’s right to send her now. A year is a long time for children.”
“I also know that the sooner you learn, the better. And I know this is an opportunity that won’t come again.”
It was obvious that the opportunity was me. When would another outsider with perfect conditions like mine ever drop into this village?
Someone with enough connections to get a tribal child into the academy, and at the same time, someone the child could trust and follow.
If Einy followed me now, she could have everything she wanted.
But she would have to part with her mother. Would that be gaining everything, or losing it?
I knew it was a difficult question for a young child. I could also guess what kind of fear was filling Einy’s small head.
“Isn’t it ironic? If I become chief, it’ll be even harder to give Einy freedom. Everyone has expectations for the chief’s daughter. But Einy is a child who can’t even catch a single rabbit. If I can open another path for her, I want to.”
Parents think about so much more than I’d imagined. Looking at Arnel’s dark expression, the thought suddenly occurred to me.
“I even considered giving up everything and leaving here to start working as a mercenary again. Even abandoning the jungle… I could do it for Einy. But…”
“But?”
“I’m afraid I’ll die. It’s an emotion I didn’t know before. The thought of leaving Einy alone scares me more than anything.”
I could understand. Mercenary work was a brutal job where you never knew when you might die. People paid mercenaries to do dangerous work.
I had to acknowledge that Arnel had made the best choice she could. Whether Einy would accept it was another matter.
“Wait for me. I’ll try to convince Einy somehow.”
Looking at Arnel, I kept thinking of the parents from this world. Did they feel the same way about me?
Even though I wasn’t a particularly good daughter, did they still think of me like this?
***
Before leaving, the first thing I packed was the sword Magi had given me.
It was a weapon with a large blue diamond embedded in the hilt, made from Rai’s special alloy, so its durability was unmatched. Since it was crafted by Magi, who boasted two hundred years of blacksmithing experience, it was an extraordinary sword by human standards.
Magi had thrown it over his shoulder, saying he didn’t like it, but that guy’s standards were just too high.
Anyway, I picked it up to present it to the king as a gift from a dragon and carried it on my back the whole time.
Even though it was too long and bulky for me, making it incredibly cumbersome.
“Sword packed, luggage packed! Let’s get going then!”
[Yeah!]
I had the perfect plan.
I would present this sword that Magi made, claiming it was a gift from a dragon, and enjoy wealth and glory. That was my modest dream!
There was one thing I’d realized early on as a child: as long as you have the most powerful person backing you, no one can harm you.
What I needed most to live as I pleased was a solid backer. And this sword was the preparation for that.
“Jeanie, do you know swordsmanship too?”
When I came out of the house with the sword on my back, Arnel asked curiously, having noticed it.
“No! It’s just for show!”
“…Ah, I see.”
“Mom… Do I really have to follow this sister? This sister is weird!”
The little brat sure had a lot to say.
Kids these days didn’t know how to watch their mouths. Maybe I should just leave her behind!